Tuesday, 20 September 2016

Lesser Whitethroats

Lade - mild, cloudy, ne 2 - Yet again, despite perfect overnight weather conditions, the moth trap failed to deliver with just 30 macros of 11 species. However, new for the year was a cracking Frosted Orange and a couple of L-album Wainscots.

Frosted Orange and L-album Wainscot

Dungeness - 0800hrs - We worked the northern end of Long Pits where the bushes held a good number of Chiffchaffs, several Blackcaps, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, plus a large tit and Chaffinch flock. A Common Redstart was lurking in the willows down the spine, along with more Chiffchaffs and a few Reed Buntings, while singles of Whinchat and Stonechat were noted on the edge of the Desert. The Rosy Starling continued to tag along with the Starling flock near the Obs and two Black Redstarts flitted on and off the power station fence.

Lesser Whitethroat, a bird of great beautyARC - Not much on the islands in front of Hanson this morning apart from Lapwings, five Snipe and all the usual eclipse wildfowl, although by mid-afternoon it had attracted a host of Knot from the beach at high tide and a Cattle Egret. The walk down to the pines was notable for more passage warblers, including up to 10 Lesser Whitethroats feasting on sweet, juicy blackberries, one of the smartest warblers around. Also noted a Peregrine on the water tower, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers on the power line poles, Kingfisher, Water Rail and Great White Egret from Screen hide.

Two sleepy SpoonbillsScotney - The two long-staying Spoonbills were asleep on the causeway by the farm entrance pit along with a range of feral geese, gulls and ducks. On the grass by the main lake more feral geese, plus a few Curlews, Lapwings, Goldies, Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, a Whimbrel and a flock of 200 Wigeon on the water. Fishing Boats - 1430-1530hrs - A pleasant enough hour watching Common and Sandwich Terns milling around offshore was enlivened by a Guillemot on the water, close views of an adult pale phase Arctic Skua and a Balearic Shearwater.

Guillemot off the fishing boatsLydd in Bloom 2016 - Came as a bit of a surprise when we received 1st prize in the Lydd in bloom coastal business category, presumably for our roses, window boxes and hydrangeas, which sadly are all now well past their best.